Pope Francis Just Invited 12 Syrian Refugees to Live in the Vatican

In a sharp statement on the world’s response to the more than 1 million migrants to arrive in Europe since the beginning of 2015, Pope Francis took 12 Muslim refugees back to the Vatican with him following a trip to the island on Saturday.

Source: Petros Giannakouris/APThe pontiff took back three Syrian refugee families — "two from Damascus and one from the eastern city of Deir al-Zour" — whose homes were destroyed in air strikes during the conflict, according to the New York Times. A Vatican statement issued to the paper called the relocation a "gesture of welcome regarding refugees."

Refugees are not numbers, they are people who have faces, names, stories, and need to be treated as such.

The Times also reported the pope spoke at a refugee camp on the island of Lesbos, where he called the migration situation a "grave humanitarian crisis … Read More